In a magnetic head whose recording and reproduction sections are separated, the magnetoresistive element constituting the reproduction head has a structure comprising a soft magnetic film, a spacer metallic film, and a magnetoresistive film and uses a high-performance soft magnetic film whose composition is Ni--Fe--Ru, Ni--Fe--Ru--M (M: fourth element), Ni--Fe--Ta or Ni--Fe--Ta--M (M: fourth element) and which has low coercivity, low magnetostriction, high specific resistance, high saturation magnetization, low magnetoresistivity and high corrosion resistance, this invention provides a recording-reproduction separation type magnetic head comprising a soft magntic bias film which is high magnetic performance, low production cost, and high corrosion resistance.